1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a gliding chair unit, more particularly to a gliding chair unit with left and right cushioning members.
2. Description of the Related Art
A conventional gliding chair unit generally includes a base frame, an upper frame, and left and right seat members. The base frame includes opposite left and right rods that extend in a longitudinal direction, and opposite front and rear rods that extend in a transverse direction relative to the longitudinal direction and that interconnect the left and right rods. The upper frame is mounted slidably on the base frame, and includes front and rear rods that are respectively disposed on the front and rear rods of the base frame, and left and right rods that extend in the longitudinal direction, that interconnect the front and rear rods of the upper frame, and that are respectively disposed adjacent to the left and right rods of the base frame. The left and right seat members are secured on the upper frame, and are disposed adjacent to the left and right rods of the upper frame, respectively. The upper frame is slidable on the base frame between right and left positions.
The conventional gliding chair unit generates noise and shock during sliding movement of the upper frame relative to the base frame.
Therefore, the object of this invention is to provide a gliding chair unit having cushioning members that can reduce noise and that can absorb shock during the sliding movement of an upper frame relative to a base frame.
According to the present invention, a gliding chair unit includes: a base frame including opposite left and right rods that extend in a longitudinal direction, and opposite front and rear rods that extend in a transverse direction relative to the longitudinal direction and that interconnect the left and right rods; an upper frame mounted slidably on the base frame, and including front and rear rods that are disposed above and aligned with the front and rear rods of the base frame, respectively, and left and right rods that extend in the longitudinal direction, that interconnect the front and rear rods of the upper frame, and that are respectively disposed adjacent to the left and right rods of the base frame, the upper frame being slidable on the base frame in the transverse direction between a left position, in which the right rod of the upper frame is disposed leftwise of the right rod of the base frame in the transverse direction, and in which the left rod of the upper frame is disposed leftwise of the left rod of the base frame in the transverse direction, and a right position, in which the right rod of the upper frame is disposed rightwise of the right rod of the base frame in the transverse direction, and in which the left rod of the upper frame is disposed rightwise of the left rod of the base frame in the transverse direction; left and right seat members mounted securely on the upper frame and disposed respectively adjacent to the left and right rods of the upper frame; a footrest panel disposed between the left and right seat members, connected securely to the front and rear rods of the base frame, and having left and right sides, each of which has opposite front and rear ends; a cushioning unit including left and right cushioning members, each of which includes a bracket fixed to one of the front and rear ends of a respective one of the left and right sides of the footrest panel and projecting outwardly therefrom in the transverse direction, and a roller that is made from an elastomeric material and that is mounted rotatably on the bracket; and a gliding mechanism disposed between the base frame and the upper frame to permit gliding movement of the upper frame on the base frame between the left and right positions, the gliding mechanism including left and right rail units disposed respectively adjacent to the left and right sides of the footrest panel, and left and right wheel units slidably and respectively engaging the left and right rail units, each of the left and right rail units including curved upper and lower front rails that are respectively formed on the front rods of the base and upper frames and that define a front wheel-receiving space therebetween, and curved upper and lower rear rails that are respectively formed on the rear rods of the base and upper frames and that define a rear wheel-receiving space therebetween which is opposite to the front wheel-receiving space, each of the left and right wheel units including a connecting rod that extends in the longitudinal direction and that has two opposite ends, and a pair of front and rear wheels that are respectively mounted on the opposite ends of the connecting rod, that are respectively received in the front and rear wheel-receiving spaces in a respective one of the left and right rail units, and that slidably and respectively engage the curved upper and lower front rails and the curved upper and lower rear rails of the respective one of the left and right rail units, each of the curved upper front and rear rails having an inner end projecting toward the footrest panel, the roller of the right cushioning member colliding against the inner end of an adjacent one of the curved upper front and rear rails of the right rail unit when the upper frame is moved to the left position, the roller of the left cushioning member colliding against the inner end of an adjacent one of the curved upper front and rear rails of the left rail unit when the upper frame is moved to the right position.